Friction stop for bowling alleys



y 1934- B. BORDERS I 1,967,858

FRICTION STOP FOR BOWLING ALLEYS Filed May 26, 1930 7f 9' j m M /2 7 15222612501.- flee flardcwsi WW?! Patented July 24, 1934 PATE Nr o FicE rmc'rron s'ror FOR BOWLING ALLEYS Bee Borders, Springfield, vi.

Application May 26,1930, Serial No.'455,540

6 Claims. (Cl. 273-51) This invention relates to an improvement in bowling alleys whereby the bowler is'prevented from crossing the foul line when in the act of delivering a ball. In the usual construction of a bowling alley, a considerable length of approach to the foul line is allowed inorder to give the bowler an opportunity to acquire a certain amount of bodily momentum to assist in the efiective delivery of the ball. The approach to the foul line is customarily constructed of wax rock 'maple wood and is thus somewhat slippery so that bowlers are apt to slide over the foul line when delivering a ball. The customary procedure in bowling is to take two or three quick steps .to acquire bodily momentum, then to slide on the feet toward the foul line, the ball being swung and released during the slide; Owing to the difficulty of gaging correctlythe frictional drag between the shoe soles and the flooring of the approach; bowlers frequently slide over the foul I line, which damages the bed of the alley.

According to the present invention, a frictional surface is supplied for a portion of the approach "adjacent to the foul line, this frictional surface being of suificient width 'to stop the slide of the bowler and to prevent him from crossing the foul line. Since the ordinary friction of the approach itself is used by the bowler to slow up his slide in approaching the foul line, the frictional surface provided according to the invention serves to check the final portion onlyof the slide so that there is practicallyno danger of the'bowler being tripped or ,upset thereby. The invention I may be embodied in a strip of frictional material which is laid across the approach on the near side of the foul line, this frictional member being set in flush, or nearly flush, with the surface of the alley. V I c For a more complete understanding of the invention reference may be had to the description thereof which follows and to the drawing, of which,-

Figure 1 is a fragmentary plan ing alley and approach;

Figure2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a section similar to Figure 2, but showing a slightly modified form of the invention.

' Referring to the drawing in detail, 10 represents a conventional bowling alley having the usual gutters 11 on either-side. 'Ihe foul line 12 separates the alley from the approach 13. The foul line 12 may be marked as by paint, or may be in the form of a block, as shown Figures 2 and 3, which is of dark colored wood and is therefore not subject to obliteration by wear. Immediately view of a bowladjacent to the foul line on the side of the approach 13, I provide a frictional member 14 which may be of rubber, fiber, or any other suitable material capable of exerting suflicient friction on ,the sole of a shoe. The frictional member 14 may be of any convenient width, a three inch width being found satisfactory for the purpose. Said member 14 may also be of any desired thickness. For reasons of economy, I may employ a strip of frictional material cemented or otherwise secured to a block 15 which is fitted between the foul line 12 and the flooring of the approach 13. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the block 15 and the frictional member 14 may be undercut as at 16 so as to anchor these members firmly in position. The .70 upper surface of the friction member 14 may be slightly raised above the surface of the approach v 13, this small elevation of the frictional surface being insuflicient to catch the edge of the shoe sole of the bowler. I This provides for considerable material to be worn away before it becomes necessary to replace the member 14. The frictional surface may, if preferred, be set with its near edge flush with the surface of the approach 13, as shown in Figure 3, the opposite edge being either flush with or slightly elevated above the surface of the alley.

The frictional element 14 may readily-be replaced when worn, by removing the foul line element 12 to permit the removal of the block 15 on which is mounted the frictional element 14. A fresh element 14 is secured to the block 15, the block thereupon being replaced in its channel and- H the foul line member 12 being replaced to lock the block 15 in position against the undercut edge of the approach.

' It will be apparent*to one skilled in the art that many changes and modifications may be made in the structure described, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a bowling alley havinga foul line and an approach, a frictional element having a surface with a coefiicient of friction materially greater than that of the approach arrangedsubstantially flush with the surface of the approach, said friction element extending across said approach adjacent to said foul line. 1

2. In a :bowli'ng alley having a foul line and an approach, a strip of friction material extending across said approach ach'acent to said foul line said strip having a surface with a coeflicient of friction materially greater than that of the approach arranged substantially flush with the surface of the approach.

3. In a bowling alley having a foul line and an approach with an undercut edge toward the foul line, a friction element extending across said alley between said undercut edge and the foul line, said friction element having a surface with a coeflicient of friction materially greater than that of the approach arranged substantially flush with the surface of the approach and a beveled side edge abutting the undercut end edge of the approach.

4. In a bowling alley having a foul line and an approach, a friction element in said approach adjacent to said foul line, said element comprising a block extending across said alley, said block having a strip of frictional material secured to the upper face thereof, said friction material presenting a face with a coefficient of friction materially greater than that of the approach arranged substantially flush with the surface of said approach.

5. In a bowling alley having a foul line and an approach, a strip of rubber extending across said approach adjacent to said foul line, said strip presenting a surface with a coefficient of friction materially greater than that of the approach arranged substantially flush with the surface of the approach.

6. In a bowling alley, an approach having an undercut edge presented to the adjacent end of the alley, a block with a sloping face against said undercut edge and with a top surface with a coeflicient of friction materially greater than that of the approach arranged substantially flush with the surface of said approach, a second block having the width of a standard foul line fitted between said first block and the adjacent end of the alley, the upper face of said block being substantially flush with the surface of the approach and alley and of a distinguishing color.

BEE BORDERS. 

